Tube closure



Aug. 24, 1937. A. A. HONEYMAN 2,091,246

TUBE CLOSURE Filed April 20, 1957 Patented Aug. 24, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to cap closures for receptacles and is particularly adapted to use on a collapsible tube though not so limited of necessity.

The objects are first, a cap that can be opened and closed while holding the receptacle in one hand, the other being otherwise employed.

Another object is a cap that will be predisposed to remain in closed position, ordinarily requiring manual displacement, so that it does not open by accidental contact with other articles when on a cabinet shelf for example.

A still further object is a cap closure that is neat appearing, without projecting parts and not costly to make.

Further objects will be apparent from the drawing and the specification.

The invention resides in the combinations of parts that provide a spring or snap engagement of the cap with its companion nozzle, through a very short distance of its final travel toward complete closure, yet leaving it perfectly free to swing wide of the nozzle and out of interference with use of the nozzle when it is wanted open; further providing efiicient frictional means to hold it in open position against any tendency of gravity to close it.

I attain the objects enumerated and those set out in the appended claims by thestructure shown in the drawing, in which,-

Fig. I is a side view of my closure showing a nozzle and a registering cap, for convenience attached to a collapsible tube, with the capin closure position;

Fig. II is the same structure shown in Fig. I except that the cap 3 has been swung to open position;

Fig. III is a top View or orthographic projection of Fig. I; and

Fig. IV is a section at IVIV of Fig. I.

The line L in Figs. I, III and IV represents the axial or center line of the nozzle 2.

I is a collapsible tube or other receptacle as the case may be. 2. is the customary nozzle and 3 is the cap shown having a beveled contact at 4 and 5, the bevel edge 4 being on the cap and 5 on the nozzle as shown in Fig. II.

The bevel angle will vary as the distance between the points Ga and 6b, of Fig. IV, or" the bail 6 and the distance of the hinge from the centerline L. The bail 6 is made rigid with the cap 3 at 65 in any convenient manner and it is hinged to a pair of lugs I, made rigid with the nozzle 2 as shown. The hinges are rebent portions of the wire forming the bail 6 as shown at 8a in Fig. IV and are effective to spring into frictional engagement with the lugs I when the cap is free as shown in Fig. II.

The bail 6 is made rigid with the cap 3 at its longer side as shown in Figs. I and II by soldering or in any convenient manner, formed into loop bends as shown at 8 and 9 with the loops separated such a distance that they must be 5 forced over the greatest diameter of the nozzle 2 at L by light pressure, the natural spring of the material of the bail 6 serving to make a snap fastening.

The beveled faces of the nozzle 5 and of the cap 4, will be made a good fit and it will be observed from Fig. I that when the loop 8 extends past the centerline L, contents cannot be forced out of the receptacle by less compressive force than will hydraulically straighten out the loops 1 2. A cap closure for a nozzle defined in part as a nozzle member, an abutting cap closure therefor, and a bail hinging the cap to the nozzle, the said bail being rigid with the cap intermediate its length and bent to form two loops and two depending legs, the loops being resiliently engageable with the nozzle to hold the cap shut over the nozzle and the dependent legs being resiliently engageable with the hinge when the cap is open.

3. In a closure, a tubular nozzle provided with a beveled outlet end, a matching cap member, a hinged bail made rigid with said cap at one side thereof and hingedly mounted on the nozzle, the said bail being of resilient material and so formed that it springs over the greatest diameter of the nozzle to catch the cap in closed position.

4. In a closure, a tubular nozzle provided with a cap seat at its outlet end, a cap formed to match the seat, a bail hingedly mounted on the nozzle at one side and made rigid with the cap on the same side, the said bail being bent into two loops to span the nozzle with resilient pressure when the cap is closed and to resiliently grip the bail hinge when the cap is open.

ARTHUR A. HONEYMAN. 

